Delhi HC to top cop: Ensure officers present in court during hearing

The court’s order comes nearly a month after Arora on April 25 castigated senior police officers for not attending matters in the high court

The Delhi high court has asked Delhi police commissioner Sanjay Arora to ensure that officers who have investigated cases are present in court whenever it is taken up for hearing.

The court order came after a police officer present for the hearing of a petition for quashing of an FIR failed to answer queries. (File)

“This has become routine invariable practice that the main investigating officers who have investigated the case are not appearing and substitute officials are appearing on their behalf and they are not versed with the facts of the cases,” justice Rajnish Bhatnagar said in an order of May 9.

The court order came after a police officer present for the hearing of a petition for quashing of a first information case (FIR) failed to answer queries. The court voiced anguish over what it said was a “routine, invariable practice” that substitute officers not well-versed with facts appear in cases, while the main officers remain absent.

The court’s order comes nearly a month after Arora on April 25 castigated senior police officers for not attending matters in the high court, saying that such a “lackadaisical conduct” by IOs “acts as an impediment in expeditious disposal of listed cases”.

“Every station house officer (SHO), inspector (law and order) and inspector (investigation) should keep a record of matters pending in the High Court relating to the police station or official duties and they will personally check/verify the authenticity and contents of the reply, to be prepared in consultation with the standing counsel. The reply should be prepared well in advance and SHO/IO should not wait for the last day,” a circular issued by Arora had said.